Surgeons Upset with CMS Coding Demands

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has recently proposed a health policy change that has many medical organizations in protest. CMS wants to require surgeons to document every ten minutes their post-operative patient care activities for certain surgical procedures. What does that mean? It means that time surgeons spend out of the OR working on patient cases would need to be documented every 10 minutes. This healthy policy change that could affect reimbursement rates from CMS has many surgeons up in arms.

In a letter from the American College of Surgeons to CMS indicated that patient care cannot be easily coded in 10 minute increments. Many surgeons review patient files throughout the day and switch from one task to another. The letter stated the chaos that could ensue with a 10-minute coding mandate.

‘The surgeon would have to stop the timer on the first patient’s pathology review, start and stop timers on the second and third patients while answering the phone and then restart the timer on the first patient in the office. This often happens many times in a day.’

The American Medical Association sites the burden and burnout that this policy would create.

‘Asking physicians and their staff to use 10-minute increments to document all their non-operating room patient care activities is by itself and incredible burden, and especially so during MACRA implementation-the most significant payment system change in 25 years.’

It seems clear that CMS is getting strong pushback on this new proposed health policy change. We will have to see if CMS holds to its policy or alters based on the burden physicians are already feeling.

Share your Thoughts:

Do you think this health policy regarding 10-minute coding is reasonable or too burdensome? What do you think CMS should do? What would you do if you were one of these surgeons?

Thank you to Baylor University MBA in Healthcare program for providing a setting of learning and discussion to solve complex health policy issues.

Sources:

https://www.advisory.com/daily-briefing/2016/09/13/cms-wants-surgeons-to-code-every-10-minutes?WT.mc_id=Email|DailyBriefing+Headline|DBA|DB|2016Sep13|OldDB2016Sep13||||&elq_cid=1339315&x_id=003C000001tclvqIAA

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Yuck Factor: Hospital Hygiene

In a popular TV show a character gave a comical alternative name for the iPhone he named it, ‘a slippery germ brick.’ Well in the Henry Ford Hospital that is exactly what the administrative leadership was trying to display to their staff. In an effort to increase hygiene practices hospital leadership swabbed commonly touched surfaces and items such as doorknobs and phones and then showed the staff what was germs were lingering around.

Healthcare professionals can become complacent or numb about the fact that they work in a germ infested environment. This visual experiment was a tangible reminder that washing hands and following proper procedure helps them and their patients.

But what continues to be the best form of hygiene compliance and lessened bacterial infections, patients. Patients speaking out and asking health care professionals to wash their hands when they enter their room. It’s not rude, it’s a reminder. A hand washing health policy is only as good as those who follow it and its always better to be without a bacterial infection.

Share your Thoughts:

What health policy would you use to encourage hygiene in a hospital? Have you ever been a patient and asked a health care professional to wash their hands? Are you a health care professional, what is the health policy where you work?

Thank you to Baylor MBA in Healthcare for educating and encouraging lifelong learning and leadership.

Sources:

https://www.advisory.com/daily-briefing/2016/06/16/henry-ford-hospital-increase-hand-hygiene-compliance?WT.mc_id=Email|DailyBriefing+Headline|DBA|DB|2016Jun16|ATestDB2016Jun16||||&elq_cid=1339315&x_id=003C000001tclvqIAA

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Your Candidates Health Care Plan

We are in the midst of a primary election in case you haven’t heard. As we are healthcare leaders and professionals it is important to be informed on health policy as it can directly affect our personal health and professional future. So what do the candidates plan on doing if elected in regards to health policy? Below is a short snapshot of what the various candidates’ plan, if they have one, would look like. Many of the ‘health policy plan’ facts are from the candidates’ websites; other information is pulled from various sources in an attempt to pull together a bipartisan and someone comprehensive picture of the candidate’s health policy ideas.

Ted Cruz (R): Proposed the ‘Health Care Choices Act’ that would allow people to buy health insurance across state lines. This bill would repeal Title I of ObamaCare undoing much of that law including the mandate to buy insurance, insurance marketplaces and subsidies.

Hillary Clinton (D): Continue supporting ObamaCare or the Affordable Care Act and proposed slowing the out of pocket costs. Continue the healthcare insurance exchanges and encourage states to expand Medicaid. 

Marco Rubio (R): Repeal ObamaCare and replace with consumer-centered health reforms that expand coverage and lower costs. Providing every American with an advanceable, refundable tax credit that can be used to purchase insurance. Reduce health care costs, promote innovation and ensure access for the most vulnerable. Finally promote innovation in Medicaid program by giving states per-capita block grants which preserves funding Medicaid’s unique populations.

Bernie Sanders (D): Build upon ObamaCare but expand into universal health care federally administrated. Build on the Medicare program. Make federal investments on training health care providers. Separate health insurance from employment.

Donald Trump (R): Trumps plan was not listed on his website and has received intense criticism for being vague and not explaining how he will complete his plan. The information I did find is listed as follows: Repeal Affordable Care Act. Allow sale of health insurance across state lines. Health insurance premiums fully tax deductible. Establish individual HSA. Require transparency from providers. Restructure Medicaid to convert it to block grants run by the states. Remove barriers to entry for international pharmaceutical companies.

I would encourage all, not just health policy leaders and health professionals, to go to each candidate’s website and see how your view of America’s health care future lines up with your candidate’s vision. I found it a fascinating study in the various candidate’s tone and ideals for America.

Share Your Thoughts:

What do you think would be the best way to improve Health Policy? What would you like healthcare to look like in America? How should healthcare policy affect healthcare leadership on the micro and macro scale?

Thank you to Baylor University MBA in Healthcare for helping their students stay informed and educated on health policy and encouraging them to enhance the future of healthcare worldwide.

Sources:

http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/234499-cruz-unveils-obamacare-alternative

https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/health-care/

https://marcorubio.com/sidebar-featured/marco-rubio-health-care-obamacare-repeal-replace/

https://berniesanders.com/issues/medicare-for-all/

http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-management-administration/donald-trump-unveils-healthcare-policy-details-in-7-points.html

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